Public health officials in Washington recommend that everyone who is unvaccinated or only received one get both shots to avoid contracting measles.

And so, once he became old enough to make legal medical decisions without the consent of his parents, Ethan chose to go to the doctor himself and be inoculated.

Only three states - California, Mississippi, and West Virginia - have entirely banned non-medical exemptions to vaccinating public school attendees, but Washington state lawmakers are now considering a similar rule. All 50 allow it for medical reasons.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says this is a long-standing myth due to the fact that several children who die of SIDS occur during the age range that they receive their DTaP shots.

"I am an underage teenager in Washington, whose mother is against vaccines", wrote another teen, also on Reddit. "I, as well as my siblings, hold the ideology that vaccines are a public health issue, and a personal responsibility to the benefit of the population, not a right you can revoke from your children".

Ethan Lindenberger gets first vaccine as Washington state struggles with a measles outbreak.

His mother, Jill Wheeler, vaccinated her eldest daughter and eldest son, but refused to do the same for five younger children, including Lindenberger, when she realized she wasn't required to do so by law.

"Measles is exquisitely contagious". The World Health Organization (WHO) even named "vaccine hesitancy" one of the top threats to global health in 2019, among HIV and pathogens like Ebola. Many, like Lindenberger, have turned to Reddit for advice.

The report comes as both Canada and the United States face another year of measles outbreaks such as one now underway in Washington State and OR, where support for anti-vaccination has been notable.

The tension has complicated his home life.

"I'm 15 years old and I never really thought about my parents not vaccinating me but now I have been doing some research about them and I don't really think they are harmful and I want to get a vaccine".

The patient, a Vancouver resident, was diagnosed on Thursday as having the virus, but the period during which it is considered infectious has since passed, said Shaf Hussain, a spokesman for Vancouver Coastal Health.

Lindenberger said he confronted his mother with the information, but she simply rebuffed him.

RELATED NEWS

Why Kate Middleton had to apologise to BAFTA guests
The couple also met with various winners after the ceremony, including Olivia Colman, Letitia Wright, Spike Lee and Rachel Weisz. Kate Middleton and Prince William pose for a photo with their three children, George (right), Charlotte (middle) and Louis. 2/13/2019

Steelers WR Antonio Brown officially requests trade
He's one of the most talented wide receivers in the National Football League and on the right team could still be dominant. Last month, two lawsuits were filed against Brown after he allegedly threw furniture from his 14th-floor apartment. 2/12/2019

Democrat, Klobuchar is running for U.S. presidential election
Klobuchar is a three-term senator known for her generally centrist demeanor and ability to negotiate with opposition Republicans. She has drawn support from voters in urban, suburban and rural areas, including in dozens of counties Trump won in 2016. 2/12/2019

Jody Wilson-Raybould resigns from cabinet — NewsAlert
Her decision follows a week of scrutiny following bombshell allegations of political interference reported by The Globe and Mail. CTV News has not independently verified the story, and Trudeau has denied it. 2/12/2019

Bill Belichick's Boat Gets Post-Super Bowl Makeover
While Patrick Mahomes and Co. still managed to hang 31 points, their most explosive offensive player was a total non-factor. I know a lot of people were disappointed in me for it. "I can't sit here and (due to) the league rules say what happened". 2/12/2019

Katy Perry called out for designing 'blackface' shoes
Retailers have pulled shoes from singer Katy Perry's namesake brand after they came under fire for resembling blackface. Last week , Gucci was forced to pull a jumper from its new collection after similar accusations about blackface. 2/12/2019